


Shell-shocked

by russomaha



Category: Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Genre: Bodyguard, Dorks in Love, Dorks in love being oblivious, F/M, Fluff, Humor, bodyguard!Caine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-24 04:35:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13206105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/russomaha/pseuds/russomaha
Summary: Who knew that lycantants had an in-built first-aid kit?





	Shell-shocked

 

Just as she was getting out of the sea, Jupiter felt a sudden stab of pain in her left heel – must have stepped onto a piece of splinted wood or a sharp shard of some sort, hidden in the moist sand. She stumbled and jerked the injured extremity up so the sand wouldn’t get into the wound, then promptly dipped it back into the sea water, hissing loudly at the stinging sensation as the salt worked its way into the cut.

The next thing she knew, she was comfortably seated on the beach and an extremely concerned lycantant was sorrowfully examining her damaged foot. Jupiter winced at the sight of the crimson stain quickly spreading across her wet skin, trickling down her ankle. And then –

The universe is vast and full of surprises. Yet the most surprising ones are often found close to home. Too close, in fact.

– Caine gave her foot a careful but thorough lick, effectively removing all the salt and blood, thus cleaning the wound.

Her breath hitched. The pain forgotten – hell, he probably could have been hacking off her leg right now and she wouldn’t notice – she couldn’t do much but stare. The visual – imprinted on her memory, hopefully, for the rest of her days and maybe even those of her further recurrences – was doing things to her… Weird, appalling, _glorious_ things…

No, no, no, she was not going there, especially with that super nose of his in the close vicinity of her p – person. Person, yes. But before she had a chance to rearrange her thoughts into a safer route, she felt herself being picked up and carried away to the house, Caine murmuring something about an instant repair spray, as if nothing of notice had happened.

“Caine?” Jupiter finally regained her faculty of speech after he had cleaned and treated the cut (no tongue had been involved this time, damn you, sterile cotton wool!) and found it healed to his satisfaction. “What was that?” Mighty Majesty’s voice trembled slightly.

“Probably a seashell. Or a piece of coral. You really shouldn’t have seeded this planet with such sharp and potentially dangerous species, Your Majesty.”

“No, I mean – er – your _first aid technique_?”

“Lycantants’ saliva contains a broad-spectrum antibiotic and a healing enhancer,” he started explaining, patiently and diligently as ever. “Comes in handy when you or your unit comrades get wounded in the battle,” – Caine finally tore his eyes off the precious royal limb he was still gingerly nursing in his hands and glanced up at Jupiter – “when there’s no medical…” he trailed off, observing the expression on her face. Cain paused, looking uncertain. “Was it not – okay?”

Jupiter tried to force her eyebrows back down from her hairline – they seemed to have stuck there permanently – and her mind out of the gutter, which took considerably more effort. To say that she had been surprised by her own reaction was to say nothing at all. That’s what you call shell shock, she thought to herself, letting out a sharp little laugh that sounded too hysterical for her liking. It actually _was_ okay – after all, her foot was properly healed, she had nothing to complain about, not really. Yet she couldn’t help but feel vaguely resentful.

Meanwhile Caine was starting to look more and more like he’s about to do _the thing_. The thing she dreaded the most. The thing when he dropped on one knee, bowing his head as if she was about to chop it off right away and he was willing to make it most convenient for her, and start apologizing for something that more often than not wasn’t his fault at all.

Not that she didn’t delight in the visual. Still, Caine got genuinely _upset_ whenever such an event took place, and Caine’s being upset was a turn-off like no other.

“No!” she croaked hastily, then had to clear her throat and added “I mean, yes. It was okay. A bit unorthodox, perhaps, but okay.” Caine didn’t look too convinced. Oh, no. Anything but _the thing_! “Really, Caine. You’ve done good. Thank you.”

She was gratified with one of the extremely rare, precious, mercurial smiles on the usually stoic face of her unusually stoic guard.

At that very moment Jupiter decided that she should instruct the keepers to spread more of those shells on the beach. ASAP.

**Author's Note:**

> _Inspired by **JA Secret Santa 2017**. Thanks whatever it is above (Jupiter and Caine, evidently) that authors like you are still writing for readers like me!_   
>  _Apologies for any probable mistakes. A non-English speaker, here._
> 
> _This is an altered fragment of **[No Fear of Heights](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13392456/chapters/30678321)** , fluffed-up and toned-down for wider audiences. If you’re curious to read the **original** version (never mind that it was published almost a year later), see **[Chapter 20](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13392456/chapters/38798015)**._


End file.
